A man has opened fire outside the Italian Prime Minister’s office in Rome injuring two police officers and a passerby. The gunman was apprehended following the ensuing shootout and has been accused of attempted homicide.

The exchange of fire happened while the new government was being sworn in, but it is unclear whether the attack was directly linked to the formation of the cabinet.

"We still have to understand who he is. He's been caught," Antonio Catricala, a cabinet undersecretary in the former government told reporters.

"We still have to understand who he is. He's been caught," Antonio Catricala, a cabinet undersecretary in the former government told reporters.

The mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno issued a statement following the attack saying that it could not be described as terrorism. He also stressed that the current political climate had increased tensions in Italy. Italian state news outlet Rai reports that one officer sustained serious injuries to the neck, while the other was hit in the leg.

As the shootout transpired a new Italian government dubbed the “grand coalition” was sworn in at the presidential Quirinal Palace. The newly-inaugurated cabinet is headed by Enrico Letta from the Democratic Party (PD) and includes members of Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party (PDL). 
 

"Gunshots at Chigi Palace. Two police injured." Video still of RAI footage (Image from twitter.com @ FGoria)

An Italian policeman is carried away by paramedics after two policemen were wounded on April 28, 2013 during a shooting outside the palazzo Chigi, the Italian Prime minister offices, as the country's new ministers were being sworn in (AFP Photo / Gabriel Bouys)

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